Keng Sien finds joy in clay, koi

T. Sima Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Many unfortunate children who are not able to enjoy a formal education due to financial constraints would be startled to hear that to drop out from school was exactly what the rebellious Liem Keng Sien wished.

He was only eight at that time, but he had made up his mind about his future.

"I was told that we went to school to obtain a diploma; without a diploma, it would be difficult to find a job. But I did not want to work for other people, so I did not need any diploma and I did not need to go to school," he said.

That was 40 years ago.

Even though Keng Sien insisted on dropping out from school, his parents were able to "force" him to study until high school here.

"The teachers did not teach us to be creative and critical, and things remain the same now," he grumbled.

His parents -- his late father was a building contractor and his mother a full-time housewife -- sent him to Belgium in 1976 to study interior design, but he ended up studying ceramics at Staats Academie voor Schonekunsten in Leuven.

Although he wasn't able to quit school, Keng Sien was able to make another wish come true: Instead of working for other people, he is his own boss.

"Call me an artist, or a teacher," said Keng Sien, one of the country's most renowned ceramic artists, who is more than happy to teach others about his craft.

He returned to Indonesia in 1983, enthusiastic about developing his interest in ceramics. This was not an easy thing to do, however, as ready-to-use materials were not available. The clay had to be processed, mixed with sand and other substances, and there was no shop selling paints, glazes and tools for ceramics.

Painters can now easily buy all they need here, from canvases to various kinds of paints, but that is not the case in earthenware arts and crafts. What's more, ceramics needs to be baked at temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees Celsius for between 8 to 12 hours.

Actually, ceramics is not new to Indonesia. Kasongan in Yogyakarta, Plered and Cirebon in West Java, Malang in East Java and Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, are only some of the areas where many locals make a living from pottery.

However, ceramics is not popular among the general public.

Most people, even those in the countryside, prefer plastic ware, which is more modern, durable, cheaper and widely available. Check the department store nearest you and browse the kitchenware aisles. Earthenware like kendi (pitcher) or gentong (water jar) are most likely not on display.

Keng Sin, who blames school teachers, government officials and journalists for failing to promote ceramics and raise public appreciation for earthenware, first exhibited his work in 1985 jointly with Hildawati Soemantri, a respected ceramic artist who recently passed away.

Since then, he has held many solo exhibitions, including Ayam Mati Dalam Lumbung (A Chicken Dies in the Rice Granary) at the Lontar Gallery in 1998, and Seni dari Indonesia Pintar (Art from Clever Indonesia) at the Borobudur Hotel in 1999.

In his works, Keng Sien uses ceramics as a medium to criticize individualistic behavior and other dark sides to people, as well as the government.

Despite the stressful condition amid the country's economic and political upheavals, Keng Sien stays cool and calm.

"Life should be fun," he said while refusing to comment on the Iraq war.

Having fun is also his philosophy in making pottery.

"Don't be serious, just enjoy. This is the university of 'Rest and Relax'," he tells his students. He believes that when you are relaxed, you will be more creative and produce better work, especially if you are diligent and practice a lot.

Twice a week, he teaches at his "university", located in the garage of his parents' home in the posh neighborhood of Menteng, Central Jakarta.

Keng Sien complained that most of his students failed, because "They want easy money."

To Keng Sien, to fail means to produce work to satisfy the market demand, because your creativity cannot be thoroughly explored. He believes that everyone is unique, with their own characteristics, talents and skills.

As for himself, Keng Sien feels close to nature, which greatly inspires his work, and enjoys fishing in particular. He has several rabbits and keeps koi, which he also breeds.

He also loves chocolates: "This is from Belgium; my relative bought it for me. Try some," he said, offering a piece.

He was so absorbed with himself that he did not think much about raising a family, although he has seven siblings himself. Just last year, however, Keng Sien married one of his best students, Martha, who works at a financial investment company.

For the wedding, Keng Sien had to borrow a suit from his brother -- his reasoning was that he did not want to waste money on an outfit he'd never wear again.

This does not necessarily mean that he was being thrifty, because money does not seem to matter much to him -- which might explain the way he handles his business.

Keng Sien owns a small ceramic factory in Bekasi, east of Jakarta, with several employees as staff, which produces kitchenware and bathroom products under the brand name Apple Sien.

"In Dutch, it means 'orange', but it can also mean 'the fruit of Keng Sien'," explained the artist, who speaks Dutch with his mother.

He has left the running of the factory, along with everything to do with the business, to a student, and does not even feel the need to check the balance sheet.

"I don't like being suspicious," he said, despite a past experience when a former student hijacked most of his employees and customers.

While he has no ambition to expand his business, Keng Sien has a big dream: To develop a tourist beach resort with ceramics and its process of creation as the main attraction.

He is aware that it won't be easy to make this dream come true, but as he says, "Well, as long as I have my koi and I can still play with clay ... that's ok with me. I'm happy."